The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department hired dozens of officers despite the fact that background checks turned up instances of serious misconduct on and off duty.

The news surfaced after an investigation of sheriff’s files by
the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper found that 188 of the 280
individuals hired by the department in 2010 had been rejected
from other law enforcement agencies, including nearly 100 who
displayed evidence of dishonesty, such as falsifying police
records.

About 92 of the officers hired had previously been disciplined
for misconduct by other police agencies, and 29 were previously
fired or compelled to resign following allegations of misconduct.
In some cases, an applicant had fired their weapon accidentally,
solicited prostitutes, or even had sex while at work.

After the Office of Public Safety was disbanded roughly four
years ago, the Sheriff’s Department absorbed its
responsibilities, which included patrolling hospitals, parks, and
other county buildings. The Sheriff’s Department was not required
to hire anyone from the disbanded police force, but it eventually
took on 280 officers.

Law enforcement officials in leadership positions, including
Larry Waldie, County Sheriff Lee Baca’s second-in-command at the
time, told the Times they were not aware of the misconduct
uncovered by the background investigations.

"That information was not brought to me ... I don't recall any
of these specifics so don't ask me anymore," Waldie said when
the newspaper detailed some of its findings.

Afterwards, Waldie, who’s now retired, stated there was
“significant pressure” from the County Board of
Supervisors when it came to hiring former officers.

Responding to these allegations, a county spokesman told the
Times that the Sheriff’s Department was told "clearly and
emphatically" only to hire individuals if they met the
agency’s hiring standards.

One officer, David McDonald, told sheriff’s investigators that he
kissed and groped a 14-year-old girl with whom he had a
relationship. He was originally fired from the Santa Clara County
Sherrif’s Department due to accusations of using excessive force
on prison inmates.

He was hired by the L.A. Sherriff’s Department and assigned a
position as a jail guard. Even McDonald was stunned by the event.

"How can you put me back in the jails when I already had a
problem there?" he told the Times about his assignment.

The Sheriff’s Department files contained numerous instances of
proven and alleged misconduct by officers, but the Times stated
it focused on instances “that had been proved in court,
sustained in workplace investigations or in cases where the
applicants themselves admitted to wrongdoing to sheriff's
investigators.”

Although it’s unclear exactly how all the hired officers are
performing in their new positions, some of them have been accused
of wrongdoing since. County police officer Gary Esquibel was
suspended after allegations surfaced that he allowed three
inmates severely beat another prisoner. His case is still under
investigation.

Another officer, Desmond Carter, was fired after pulling out his
gun while off-duty and firing it at a civilian’s car during an
altercation that occurred after a car accident.